1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tent frame, more particularly to a tent frame that has oblique supporting units for enhancing the structural strength of the tent frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,756 discloses a conventional tent frame 1 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The conventional tent frame 1 is adapted for supporting a tent cover 10 thereon, and includes a plurality of spaced-apart main supporting units 11 (only two are shown in FIG. 1), a plurality of connecting rod units 12, each interconnecting an adjacent pair of the main supporting units 11, and a plurality of tensile supporting units 13, each interconnecting an adjacent pair of the main supporting units 11 and spaced apart from a corresponding one of the connecting rod units 12.
Each of the main supporting units 11 includes a pair of spaced apart upright foot rods 111, a pair of first connectors 112 mounted respectively on top ends of the foot rods 111, a second connector 113, and a pair of supporting rods 114. Each of the first connectors 112 has a rod connecting portion 115 that projects toward the second connector 113. The second connector 113 has a pair of rod coupling portions 116 that project respectively toward the first connectors 111. Each of the supporting rods 114 has two ends inserted respectively and removably into the rod connecting portion 115 of a respective one of the first connectors 112 and a corresponding one of the rod coupling portions 116 of the second connector 113, and an intermediate section formed with an aperture 117.
Each of the connecting rod units 12 includes three parallel connecting rods 121, one of the connecting rods 121 being connected between the second connectors 113 of the adjacent pair of the main supporting units 11, while each of the other two of the connecting rods 121 interconnecting two corresponding ones of the first connectors 112 of the adjacent pair of the main supporting units 11.
Each of the tensile supporting units 13 includes a seat 132, a pair of threaded members 133, and a pair of hook members 131. Each seat 132 is formed with threaded holes at opposite ends thereof, screw threads of which extend in opposite directions. The threaded members 133 are connected threadedly and respectively to the threaded holes in the seat 132. Each of the threaded members 133 has an inner end extending threadedly into a respective one of the threaded holes in the seat 132, and an outer end formed with a ring aligned with the aperture 117 of a respective one of the supporting rods 114 of a respective one of the main supporting units 11. Each of the hook members 131 has a hooked outer end extending through the aperture 117 in a respective one of the supporting rods 114 of a respective one of the main supporting units 11, and a hooked inner end hooked to the ring of the outer end of a corresponding one of the threaded members 133. By rotating the seat 132, the threaded members 133 can be threaded in relative to the seat 132 so as to tauten the hook members 131, thereby enhancing the structural strength of the conventional tent frame 1. Therefore, the conventional tent frame 1 is capable of preventing fracture of the tent cover 10 or even collapse of the conventional tent frame 1 due to accumulation of rain or snow.
However, the presence of the apertures 117 in the supporting rods 114 of the main supporting units 11 weakens the structural strength of the supporting rods 114, so that the supporting rods 114 may deform due to accumulation of rain or snow. Since the two ends of each of the supporting rods 114 are inserted removably into the respective one of the first connectors 112 and the corresponding one of the second connectors 113, if too much rain or snow accumulates on the tent cover 10, the deformation of the supporting rods 114 will be serious enough to cause separation of the supporting rods 114 from the first connectors 112 or the second connectors 113, thereby resulting in collapse of the entire conventional tent frame 1.